dogs Archives - Flannel with Faith

Finn and Faith!

Posted on August 25, 2023August 25, 2023 by K.L. Hale — 57 Comments

Finn and Faith!

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Have faith 💚

Love Came Down

Posted on December 18, 2022December 18, 2022 by K.L. Hale — 103 Comments

Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas;
star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine;
love to God and others,
love for plea and gift and sign.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Came_Down_at_Christmas

Written by a beautiful poet, Christina Rossetti (1830-1894), this piece is evidence of a heart devoted to what truly mattered the most. At a young age, health became an issue for Christina. Educated by her parents, and with artist siblings, Christina allowed her words to speak the deepest parts of her. In her later decades, Rossetti suffered from a type of Grave’s disease diagnosed in 1872, suffering a near-fatal attack in the early 1870s. In 1893, she developed breast cancer. The tumour was removed, but there was a recurrence in September 1894. She died on December 29th, 1894 and was buried on New Year’s Day, 1895 in the family grave. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Rossetti)

When it’s all up in the air ~health, wealth, attitudes, belongings, uncertainties, misunderstandings, doubts, worries, and unknowns ~love comes down. It’s the true Spirit of the season that gives all year. 💚

Finley and I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a happy new year from our home to yours! 🎄💚

Humor, Holidays, & Health

A missing mailbox (only to be discovered “stuck” on an Amazon driver’s lift gate), wrong pronunciation at a procedure, a tasty and interesting side sauce only to be called, “gravy”…perhaps I need to get out more? Holiday seasons, health, mishaps, and circumstances might drain the spirit, wallet, and humor. I’m so thankful for laughter and reasons to smile. Being human is the easiest thing to do. Doing the hard things~loving and laughing in the worst of it~requires a much greater power than me.

An update to my newsletter ~Last week I had the opportunity to meet a fellow NET patient by phone. For the first time I talked with someone who speaks the same “language” and had a similar health path. She was diagnosed at 54, 6 years ago. She was shocked at how many tumors I have and where they are (distant metastasis). She was fortunate to have surgery for removal of the tumor, but sadly, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She has many battles. Unfortunately she could only complete one radiation like the one I’m receiving (many blood transfusions were required and she was sick from February to summer). Will you pray for my new friend, Ingrid? Thank you, Jane, for introducing us.

Have faith💚

My December Newsletter sent last week! 💚🎄

Removing the Ruined

Posted on April 30, 2020 by K.L. Hale — 27 Comments

Meanwhile during the pandemic…

In the midst of the unknown what didn’t change was a diseased and useless leg on my furry companion, Finley. It has been said, “dogs have 3 legs and a spare.”

As a fellow blogger stated, “Dogs are such stoic positive creatures, I often think they are better off for not having the words to describe…”athousandbitsofpaper.com💚

This little sweetie had something holding her back, giving her pain, and slowing her down. She played anyway. Number four leg, creating the “typical”anatomically correct pooch, was nothing but a stumbling block. Yesterday morning I gave her lots of hugs and kisses (and admittedly shed a few tears). I confidently handed her to the experts. She was in good hands.

She’ll have a few “ouchy’s” and some rough patches. Amazingly, she doesn’t seem to even notice the absence of the worthless leg. Literally a weight, although tiny, was lifted. Aren’t dogs extraordinary healers? (I know miraculous humans stories too😊)

Yes, she’s just a dog. But she carries a lesson for me. What’s dangling, painful, and useless hanging in your life? What’s dragging you down and causing your entirety to suffer? Is an amputation needed? If you have lost parts you truly needed, I’m sorry~ I know a healer who can restore. Do what you need to live more abundantly.

“In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have faith 💚

Dogma

Posted on March 20, 2020 by K.L. Hale — 18 Comments

“Dogma means the doctrine of belief in a religion or a political system. The literal meaning of dogma in ancient Greek was “something that seems true.” These days, in English, dogma is more absolute. If you believe in a certain religion or philosophy, you believe in its dogma, or core assumptions.”
http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/dogma

There’s a lot of dogma being dished around. For me to love others and treat everyone as I wish to be treated is my own personal dogma.

It was March 4th. My pup, Finley, was sitting in my lap staring at me like usual. Me? Well, I was still reeling from the media coverage of Super Tuesday. If you’ve read my post, “In the Middle”, you might have an idea of my thoughts in regards to politics. The word dogma was stuck in my mind. Quarantining myself forever might be the best option if my mind will not allow my brain to learn new information and adjust my understanding of the world around me.

I will not waiver on my beliefs of a man named Jesus. Nor what he sacrificed for me~or how I want to live, teach, and forgive as he did.💚 But to be pushy, arrogant, or down-right judgemental, ahem~too dogmatic, will only hurt myself and others. It would defeat what I believe my purpose to be. When uncertainty is present, we may not feel in control. That’s ok with me. The best thing I’ve done in life is let go of control.

How open-minded are we as a society? As humans are we collectively helping one another through paying attention, experiencing new learning, being non-judgemental, and reaching out? How can we problem-solve if our mind is frozen? And unable to apply new understanding to become better decision-makers?

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma-which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
~Steve Jobs

Pardon me as I display a wee bit of dogmatism on this post. Finley River, my pup, is the reason I hold true to this dogma~dogs are the perfect companions for us imperfect people. It’s a fact that dog IS God spelled backwards. 😏💚

Any other dog lovers and owners out there? Cat owners, don’t be offended by my dogmatism. Every animal has its place in the world 💚